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CHIPPAWA
By Peter Shisler
[Welland Tribune, 15 February 1872]
REMINISCENCES OF THE FRONTIER-When I was 17, in the year 1827, I remember teaming oats to the Pavilion Hotel at the Falls, which was at that time kept by one W. Forsyth, who kept stages running daily from that place to Fort Erie, and Mr. A. Crysler ran stages from Niagara to the Falls. This went off very well and both parties made money out of it, but by and by, the parties would take passengers the whole route and dispute over it. So they drew bonds that neither should drive on as though there had been no bonds exchanged, and the consequence was Mr. W.F. had to fork over $5000, but it did not seem to hurt him much, as when he left that business he left each of his four sons 200 acres of land with good buildings, besides giving his daughters a good setting out. Since 1827, that hotel has been destroyed three times by fire and rebuilt. Since the cars have taken the place of stages the above taverns are cut short, and in fact everything has taken a change. Chippawa, at that date, was the market for over fifty miles west and south-west for all kinds of produce, and I believe to-day, if some men owned the land from Chippawa to the Falls, there might be a greater market there to-day than ever has been in times gone by; as anyone who has passed along the rapids between these places can’t help but see that there is a great chance for water power. And the day may not be far distant when Chippawa may regain its position. Besides its old time advantages it has the accommodations of the Erie & Niagara R.R.; with splendid water communication. All that is required is for some of your wealthy men to put their shoulders to the wheel. As I passed through, on the 4th instant, I noticed a large number of scholars coming from a splendid mansion, which is a credit to the place, and as it lies so near one of the greatest wonders of the world, my impression is that it will be one of the last places that will go down, unless the great cataract gives way of which I think there is no danger as it is bound with such large cables to the U.S.
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